Mystery continues to build in killer of a series

Although mysteriously overlooked by the recent Emmy Awards, Dexter, about an ethical serial killer who works for the Miami police, is a thrilling and darkly funny drama.

Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under) stars as Dexter Morgan, a blood-spatter expert who knew from childhood that he had a lust for the stuff. With the help of his police officer father (James Remar), he learned to live by "Harry's code," killing only people who deserve it.

The five-minute recap that begins tonight's second season summarizes the events of the first, including how Dexter's sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) fell for a man who turned out to be the "Ice Truck Killer" and, most shockingly, Dexter's long-lost brother. (Rent last season on DVD to enjoy the origins of Dexter's twisted world.)

This season picks up a month after Dexter has dispatched his kin and saved Deb, who still hasn't recovered from the trauma.

Sgt. Doakes (Erik King) has taken to tailing Dexter, even when he partakes of his new hobby, bowling. (The name of the cop team: "Bowl Till You Bleed.")

The constant surveillance has prevented Dexter from satisfying his urges, which is affecting his performance at work. Killing, he explains in his narration, keeps him calm: "I've always enjoyed my work, fills me with civic pride, brings order to the chaos."

In the season one DVD commentary, the producers discuss their disappointment that the series didn't stir up more controversy. It seems audiences were willing to go along with "Harry's code" as Dexter dispatched child killers, human smugglers and other murderers who aren't as discriminating as he, helping to make the drama Showtime's most watched series.

So in the second season, they raise the stakes: We see what happens to Dexter when he can't kill -- and when he discovers that he hasn't covered his tracks well.

Through flashbacks, some of the motives of the now-deceased Harry, who knew what his son was and molded him, are revealed.

Keith Carradine will guest star in 11 of the 12 episodes this season as an FBI agent who arrives in Miami to investigate the latest serial killer -- Dexter himself.

Dexter's relationship with Rita (Julie Benz) progresses, but she begins to grow suspicious of her boyfriend's role in the incarceration of her no-good, abusive ex-husband.

The first season of Dexter sustained a mystery that paid off in one of the most satisfying finales of the year. This season, the noose tightens around the anti-hero, and he searches for meaning in his murderous life.